Text Size

PIPELINE PRESSURE MOUNTING: With a decision on the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline looming, supporters and opponents are putting everything on the table, fighting tooth and nail for the public's — and the president’s — attention. House Republicans held simultaneous events in two separate committees yesterday to push for approval of the pipeline that would connect Canada’s oil sands to U.S. refineries on the Gulf Coast.

Meanwhile, anti-Keystone activists are preparing to take a State Department hearing on the pipeline Thursday in Nebraska by storm. They’ve even organized a barbecue featuring “tar sands-free beef” from cows raised along the proposed pipeline route and a prayer circle the night before the hearing. Andrew Restuccia and Talia Buford have more on the build-up: http://politi.co/15eQRI1

H.R. 3 MARK-UP CONTINUES: After an Energy and Commerce subcommittee approved the GOP’s Keystone bill yesterday (with support from two Democrats), the full committee is set to vote on the legislation today at 9 a.m. in Rayburn 2123. Republican leaders hope to begin floor debate on it by Memorial Day.

The first amendment: Democrats only offered one amendment to the GOP’s pro-Keystone bill during a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee vote yesterday. But a Democratic aide tells ME to expect more amendments when the full committee votes this morning.

JOHN KERRY ON THE HILL: The secretary of State testifies today before House appropriators on the State Department’s budget — but watch for him to artfully dodge questions about Keystone XL and his agency’s decisionmaking process. 2 p.m., Rayburn 2359

SPILL COMMISSIONERS ISSUE NEW REPORT CARD: Ahead of the three-year anniversary of the massive BP oil spill, former members of President Barack Obama’s oil spill commission will issue a report card today that grades the progress that has been made in implementing the group’s recommendations. An aide to the group, which is now called Oil Spill Commission Action, tells ME that the report card will grade how well the administration, Congress and the oil industry has done in responding to the 2010 disaster. “In general, they consider that the administration and the industry have made some important improvements, but they remain disturbed by Congress’s lack of action on most issues,” the aide said. Last year’s report card gave Congress a “D,” the oil industry a “C+” and the Obama administration a “B” (refresher: http://politico.pro/IXYOTi).

ENVIROS PLAN TO SUE EPA OVER GREENHOUSE GAS RULE: Several green groups have notified the EPA they intend to sue over the agency’s failure to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from new and existing power plants. The Environmental Defense Fund, Sierra Club and the NRDC cited an “unreasonable delay” in the EPA’s greenhouse gas emissions limits for new power plants in a letter sent to the agency Monday. Erica Martinson has more: http://politico.pro/14uafBz

HANSEN CRITICIZES BOXER-SANDERS CLIMATE BILL, OBAMA: In a missive posted on his website last night, climate scientist James Hansen slams the carbon tax bill introduced earlier this year by Sens. Barbara Boxer and Bernie Sanders. “[A]s usual they cannot keep their hands off our wallets, proposing to take 40% of the money to make government bigger, including congressional specification of how 15% of the money is to be spent,” wrote Hansen, who recently stepped down as director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies and uses quotation marks around the word “retired.”

Hansen continues: “Washington seems likely to remain dysfunctional on climate policy, so when we get a bit closer to 2016 I will argue why I think we need a third party. In the meantime we must try to do what we can with what we have. Somebody with access to the president should wake him up to the implications of going down the unconventional fossil fuels route (I have tried, but failed to get access). He will have a heck of a lousy legacy if he takes the big step down that road with the Keystone pipeline.” Hansen’s seven-page document: http://bit.ly/XQi81q

WHITE HOUSE FINALIZES OCEAN POLICY: Via The Washington Post: “The White House on Tuesday issued its final plan for managing the world’s oceans, outlining a strategy that aims to coordinate the work of more than two dozen agencies and reconcile competing interests including fishing, offshore energy exploration and recreational activities. While environmentalists as well as some fishing industry officials and state authorities have embraced the National Ocean Policy, it has infuriated conservatives, who describe it as an example of how the Obama administration is overreaching and seeking to limit the rights of recreational anglers and others.” WaPo: http://wapo.st/111C124

ME FIRST — SIERRA CLUB HIRES LEADER FOR LANDS PROTECTION PROGRAM: The Sierra Club has hired Dan Chu to lead its “Our Wild America” lands protection campaign, the group will announce today. Chu comes from the National Wildlife Foundation, where he was vice president for affiliate and regional strategies. The "Our Wild America" campaign organizes grass-roots activists to work on setting up permanent protection for "significant landscapes," according to Sierra.

** A message from America's Natural Gas Alliance: When used to generate electricity, natural gas burns cleaner than other fuel sources, with less pollutants and no mercury. Learn more about this abundant, American resource: http://bit.ly/d652Uo **

CLEAN ENERGY INVESTMENT DOWN IN 2012 — PEW REPORT: Even though global investment in clean energy was down 11 percent last year from 2011, 88 gigawatts of capacity was installed around the world, the Pew Charitable Trusts says in a new report out today. From the report: “Investment fell most precipitously in the Americas, with clean energy financing down 31 percent in 2012, to $50.3 billion. The sharp decline followed growth of more than 30 percent in 2011, reinforcing a pattern of investment volatility in the Americas and driving financing in the region to the lowest level since 2009.” Pew also notes that China has taken the lead on clean energy investment — $65.1 billion, up 20 percent from 2011, and greatly beating the U.S.'s 2012 total of $35.6 billion. The report: http://bit.ly/Yu49JC

ADVANCED ENERGY CEOS WANT CERTAINTY — AEE REPORT: Advanced energy companies face regulatory and policy uncertainty, regulations that don't account for new technologies, poor research and development support, and the politicization of advanced energy tech, the group Advanced Energy Economy says in a report out today based on interviews with CEOs. “Rather than arguing for specific policies favorable to their distinct business interests, they suggest making federal policies conform to certain standards that would accelerate advanced energy growth and development in a dynamic fashion without favoring specific technologies,” the report concludes: http://bit.ly/11cJBWz

DOE STUDYING DRY CASK WASTE STORAGE TECH: DOE has announced that it would pour nearly $16 million into studying new dry cask storage technology for high-output nuclear fuel. The effort will be led by the Electric Power Research Institute and the private sector will back at least 20 percent of the project's total cost. The announcement: http://1.usa.gov/11eIdE9

DOE’s new program is part of a suite of nuclear waste activities, including generic geologic studies, the agency is pushing in the wake of dismantling the Yucca Mountain project. But last week, Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, who chairs the Energy and Water subpanel of the Appropriations Committee, argued that many of DOE’s nuclear waste proposals and activities are “unauthorized” and “to a great extent ... violating congressional intent here by proceeding the way you are.” DOE’s top nuclear energy official, Pete Lyons, said all the activities had been cleared by the agency’s general counsel.

REFINERS LOBBY AGAINST RFS: The American Petroleum Institute and American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers are hosting 10 refining executives today for a fly-in to meet with lawmakers and administration officials about repealing the renewable fuel standard. The meetings come shortly after lawmakers in the House introduced legislation that would repeal the RFS.

ACTIVISTS PUSH JEWELL TO PROTECT ANWR: Activists looking to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will gather outside the Interior Department just before noon today to push new Secretary Sally Jewell to finalize the revised ANWR conservation plan. Organized by the Alaska Wilderness League, the activists, many of whom are from the region, will deliver a letter to Interior and Fish and Wildlife Service officials. The letter: http://bit.ly/Yti02V

38 NORTH SOLUTIONS HIRES BROWN: 38 North Solutions, a Washington, D.C,. firm that specializes in clean energy and new enterprises, has hired Isaac Brown. Brown is a former floor manager to House Whip Rep. Jan Schakowsky and a public policy adviser at Edwards Wildman. (h/t POLITICO Influence)

QUICK HITS

— Alaska and DOE have agreed to research new unconventional energy resources in the Arctic, including methane hydrates. AP: http://bit.ly/ZZmflV

— A new elevated bridge across the Everglades that will improve water flow has opened. Miami Herald: http://hrld.us/17ke0Wb

THAT’S ALL FOR ME. Have a great day.

** A message from America's Natural Gas Alliance: We believe in a clean energy future. Natural gas is a cleaner energy choice and a key partner to solar and wind technologies. From California to Florida, natural gas facilities are working with renewable energy to ensure steady, affordable and cleaner energy choices for communities across our nation. Because it is an abundant and affordable energy source available right here in America, natural gas can help make the promise of cleaner energy a reality in more American communities. Natural gas is smarter power today. Visit anga.us to learn more. **